Ethnic sentiments are usually dictated by political and socio-economic factors and they derive from manipulation of minority interests and groups who are in the face of discrimination and marginalization jostle for at...Ethnic sentiments are usually dictated by political and socio-economic factors and they derive from manipulation of minority interests and groups who are in the face of discrimination and marginalization jostle for attention and relevance within a geopolitical setting in a society. Most often, such political situation which promotes domination by one group and socio-economic subordination of another, usually results in ethnic crisis which arises from, and also leads to serious suspicion, anger, civil unrest, and sometimes war. It is not in doubt, that in times of ethno-political crisis and war, women and children are the main victims as they account for an estimated 80% of refugees and displaced persons worldwide. It is in view of this that this paper examines the politics of ethnic conflicts and discusses some of its painful outcomes, such as marginalization and dehumanization of women and children. The essay uses J. P. Clark＇s The Wives Revolt （1991） and Ahmed Yerima＇s Little Drops （2009） for illustration to point out the importance of democratic principles and increased representation of woman in governance and advocating against discriminatory policies in respect of women and children.展开更多
This paper focuses on the representational politics of the Aeta indigenous women healers in Cagayan Valley in the Philippines Indigenous peoples have been represented as backward, irrational, and consequently non-huma...This paper focuses on the representational politics of the Aeta indigenous women healers in Cagayan Valley in the Philippines Indigenous peoples have been represented as backward, irrational, and consequently non-human. For racialized women, it is a double tragedy. They face race and gender misrepresentation. This identification interns them on the margins of society. This colonial representation is being questioned and subverted through the narratives of 12 Aeta women healers in the Philippines. In order to make clarifications as to how they have been represented, the Aeta indigenous women healers discussed and elaborated their indigeneity, language, and spirituality. In turn, they contrast their healing practices with public health. Their hope is to amend the way they have been signified. It is a point where the totalizing narratives meet the subjugated knowledge with a call for fairer representation. This paper confirms that Aeta women healers do not need external representation. They can represent themselves. In fact, they have already been representing themselves. The big question is, are we listening？展开更多
Two prevailing ＂traditional＂ notions of human rights also cause the current skeptical mood concerning human rights. Either human rights are seen in a morally exaggerated way as ＂trump cards＂ in political negotiati...Two prevailing ＂traditional＂ notions of human rights also cause the current skeptical mood concerning human rights. Either human rights are seen in a morally exaggerated way as ＂trump cards＂ in political negotiations, or they are pruned back to a purely juridical level, absorbed into legal instances that accord them at most the rank of constitutional rights. In contrast to this, the author defends a political conception of human rights that overcomes the problems besetting both conceptions, but without having to sacrifice their critical, normative content or a realistic role for human rights in international politics. A political conception of human rights assumes, the author argues firstly, that human rights grow out of concrete experiences of injustice and are the product of political struggles. Human rights are, secondly, placeholders for the public thematization of oppression, humiliation, marginalization, and despotism. A third characteristic feature of a political conception of human rights is that human rights raise claims to a rule system that permits access to the freedoms and resources formulated by human rights. And finally, the obligations imposed by human rights are not duties of assistance but institutional duties to realize the conditions for exercising human rights. Human rights, the author concludes, can be ＂used＂ by any person to criticize existing ordering structures and can be activated for political purposes directed to the common good.展开更多
文摘Ethnic sentiments are usually dictated by political and socio-economic factors and they derive from manipulation of minority interests and groups who are in the face of discrimination and marginalization jostle for attention and relevance within a geopolitical setting in a society. Most often, such political situation which promotes domination by one group and socio-economic subordination of another, usually results in ethnic crisis which arises from, and also leads to serious suspicion, anger, civil unrest, and sometimes war. It is not in doubt, that in times of ethno-political crisis and war, women and children are the main victims as they account for an estimated 80% of refugees and displaced persons worldwide. It is in view of this that this paper examines the politics of ethnic conflicts and discusses some of its painful outcomes, such as marginalization and dehumanization of women and children. The essay uses J. P. Clark＇s The Wives Revolt （1991） and Ahmed Yerima＇s Little Drops （2009） for illustration to point out the importance of democratic principles and increased representation of woman in governance and advocating against discriminatory policies in respect of women and children.
文摘This paper focuses on the representational politics of the Aeta indigenous women healers in Cagayan Valley in the Philippines Indigenous peoples have been represented as backward, irrational, and consequently non-human. For racialized women, it is a double tragedy. They face race and gender misrepresentation. This identification interns them on the margins of society. This colonial representation is being questioned and subverted through the narratives of 12 Aeta women healers in the Philippines. In order to make clarifications as to how they have been represented, the Aeta indigenous women healers discussed and elaborated their indigeneity, language, and spirituality. In turn, they contrast their healing practices with public health. Their hope is to amend the way they have been signified. It is a point where the totalizing narratives meet the subjugated knowledge with a call for fairer representation. This paper confirms that Aeta women healers do not need external representation. They can represent themselves. In fact, they have already been representing themselves. The big question is, are we listening？
文摘Two prevailing ＂traditional＂ notions of human rights also cause the current skeptical mood concerning human rights. Either human rights are seen in a morally exaggerated way as ＂trump cards＂ in political negotiations, or they are pruned back to a purely juridical level, absorbed into legal instances that accord them at most the rank of constitutional rights. In contrast to this, the author defends a political conception of human rights that overcomes the problems besetting both conceptions, but without having to sacrifice their critical, normative content or a realistic role for human rights in international politics. A political conception of human rights assumes, the author argues firstly, that human rights grow out of concrete experiences of injustice and are the product of political struggles. Human rights are, secondly, placeholders for the public thematization of oppression, humiliation, marginalization, and despotism. A third characteristic feature of a political conception of human rights is that human rights raise claims to a rule system that permits access to the freedoms and resources formulated by human rights. And finally, the obligations imposed by human rights are not duties of assistance but institutional duties to realize the conditions for exercising human rights. Human rights, the author concludes, can be ＂used＂ by any person to criticize existing ordering structures and can be activated for political purposes directed to the common good.
